"It does not become me to murder this child who has saved my life," he said, at last.
And he bent down and laid his sword beside the child, that the fugitives on awakening should understand the danger they had escaped.
Then he saw that the child was awake. He lay and regarded the soldier with the beautiful eyes which shone like stars.
And the warrior bent a knee before the child.
"Lord, _thou_ art the Mighty One!" said he. "Thou art the strong Conqueror! Thou art He whom the gods love! Thou art He who shall tread upon adders and scorpions!"
He kissed his feet and stole softly out from the grotto, while the little one smiled and smiled after him with great, astonished child-eyes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Far away in one of the Eastern deserts many, many years ago grew a palm tree, which was both exceedingly old and exceedingly tall.
All who passed through the desert had to stop and gaze at it, for it was much larger than other palms; and they used to say of it, that some day it would certainly be taller than the obelisks and pyramids.
Where the huge palm tree stood in its solitude and looked out over the desert, it saw something one day which made its mighty leaf-crown sway back and forth on its slender trunk with astonishment. Over by the desert borders walked two human beings. They were still at the distance at which camels appear to be as tiny as moths; but they were certainly two human beings--two who were strangers in the desert; for the palm knew the desert-folk. They were a man and a woman who had neither guide nor pack-camels; neither tent nor water-sack.
"Verily," said the palm to itself, "these two have come hither only to meet certain death."
The palm cast a quick, apprehensive glance around.
"It surprises me," it said, "that the lions are not already out to hunt this prey, but I do not see a single one astir; nor do I see any of the desert robbers, but they'll probably soon come."
"A seven-fold death awaits these travelers," thought the palm. "The lions will devour them, thirst will parch them, the sand-storm will bury them, robbers will trap them, sunstroke will blight them, and fear will destroy them."
And the palm tried to think of something else. The fate of these people made it sad at heart.